1. Field of the Disclosed Subject Matter
The disclosed subject matter relates to containers, and in particular, a base for a container having a deflectable dome to withstand pressure differentials without permanent deformation of the base.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plastic containers are conveniently used to contain a wide variety of products. In the food industry, plastic containers are used to hold items in solid, granular or powder form, such as dry cereal, and in liquid form, such as juice and soda. During the process of filling such containers, the containers are sealed with a top closure such that a consumer can identify whether the container has been opened or tampered. When a container appears to be distorted in some manner, such as the top closure is opened or the container is bulging, the consumer generally refrains from purchasing or using such container. However, depending on an environment of the container, a sealed container can experience noticeable distortions even though the contents of the container remain untouched. For example, at elevations above or below sea level, the container may bulge and ultimately permanently deform due to variations in pressure. Additionally, if certain pressure differentials between the inside and the outside of the sealed container are exceeded, the base of the container can evert outwardly, resulting in unstable or unusable container and contents.
A number of functional improvements have been added to container designs to accommodate for the various thermal effects and pressures (positive and negative) in an effort to control, reduce or eliminate unwanted deformation. Ideally, such improvements are intended to make the package both visually appealing and functional for use. Functional improvements can include industry standard items such as vacuum panels to achieve the desired results. Generally, it is desirable that these functional improvements are minimal or hidden to achieve a specific shape, look or feel that is more appealing to the consumer. Additional requirements may also include the ability to make the container lighter in weight and more cost efficient by using less material. However, such lighter containers can make the container more susceptible to deformation.
Thus there is a need to develop an efficient and economic container and a base with specific characteristics to promote structural integrity of the container while experiencing different pressures or different environments. The presently disclosed subject matter satisfies these and other needs.